


Warmth

by Petri808



Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [1]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Drama, Drinking, F/M, Love, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 15:07:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11762487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: As they settle in one cold evening, Inuyasha grapples with his own insecurities and the desire to comfort Kagome...





	Warmth

It’s late one fall evening as the rag-tag little group has decided to camp out for the night instead of pushing on to the next village still a distance away.  The two girls, Kagome and Sango along with Shippo are already crashed out near the fire leaving the boys, Miroku and Inuyasha unattended.  Pulling out a bottle of sake and two cups, Miroku taps Inuyasha on the shoulder and motions with his head towards the hot springs a few yards away.  Keeping his voice low to not wake anyone.  “Come on, while the girls are asleep.”

“I don’t wanna drink with you.”

“Why not?  It’s just us guys relaxing in the onsen before getting some shut eye.”

“We shouldn’t leave them alone.”

“They’re perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and we’re right nearby.”

“Alright fine, I could use a bath anyways.”

Miroku chuckles, “Yes, I believe Kagome would agree with you.”

“ _Tch_ , asshole.”

 

As soon as they settle into the steaming water, Miroku opens the bottle and pours them the first round.  “Isn’t this so peaceful?” he remarks, sinking deep enough to cover his chest.

“It would be…” Inuyasha retorts, “If you were quiet.” and closes his eyes.  Lately the Hanyo's mind has been wandering in thoughts.  Kagome would try to get him to talk about what was bothering him but that was part of the problem; she was a big reason why he seemed so distracted lately.  For so long, his heart had been consumed with Kikyo that her loss had left him feeling empty.  No, maybe that wasn’t the right word because he knew that his life was not devoid of anything now.  He searched for a better answer and all he could come up with it is, confused.  For the first time in his life, he had friends, and he had someone right beside him that made him feel special, made him feel loved.  He thought love was what he felt for Kikyo, and there was a time that maybe he did, but it all ended when he met Kagome…

The clinking sound of bottle to cup stirs him from his thoughts.  “I’m not here to drink by myself.”

“Then why am I here, it’s not like we talk much.”

“Look I’ve been wanting to ask you something without the girls around.”

Inuyasha gulps down the sake, “What?” a low growl to his tone as he holds it out for a refill.

Miroku fills the glass and then his own, “So I wanted to know why haven’t you made a move on Kagome yet?”

Inuyasha closes his eyes again, “Why would I?”

“Why would you not?!  You can’t tell me you don’t find her attractive.”

“So, what if I do.” A slight reddish tinge appears on the Hanyo's face, “It’s not like she’s interested in me.”

“You are both so blind to each other’s feelings.” Another gulp and fill of his cup.  “She’s been respectful not to say anything to you because she knows how you felt about Kikyo and doesn’t want to get in the way of that.  But you need to realize, Kagome’s the one here, now, with you; she’s like a second chance for you to be happy, truly happy Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha opens his eyes and sits up.  “You think I haven’t thought about all this?  That I don’t realize how she feels?”

“I don’t know,” Miroku retorts, “Cause it sure as hell doesn’t seem like you do.”

“Ke _h_ ,” he turns his head.  Of course, he knew, he didn’t know when he figured it out but he had and he’s known for a long time the feelings that the young girl was having, unfortunately words and emotions never came easy to the young man.  He wasn’t dumb, he just didn’t know what he should do about it so he reverts to his comfort zone of keeping his mouth shut.  Inuyasha exhales, these sentiments weren’t one sided.  It hadn’t taken him long to become enamored with Kagome, very similar to the beginnings of his relationship with Kikyo.  The difference?  Kagome brought out a new wave of peace in the young man that Kikyo had never achieved and it had developed rather quickly.  Kaede had been right, whenever Kagome was around him he was stronger, calmer, gentler; she brought out all his best qualities.

Midway through the bottle, Miroku pushes harder, “So if you’re not gonna make a move on her, then I will.”

Oh, how quickly that snaps Inuyasha out of his thoughts. “Don’t you dare touch her!  You perverted monk!”             

But Miroku just smirks, “Jealousy, the actions of a man in love.”

Turning his head again, “Screw you!” after realizing his friend was just pushing his buttons to see how he truly felt about Kagome.  But he cannot hide the blush on his face and it just makes Miroku chuckle at the young Hanyo.    

“Don’t worry, I’ve had my eye on Sango anyways.  I just wanted to see how you’d react.”  He now closes his eyes to relax, sipping from his cup.  “You’re such an idiot Inuyasha, Koga has been trying hard to steal her away and if you wait too long, she may just give into his advances.”

“Don’t call me an idiot!”

“I will if he wins and you’re sulking in the background.”

Through narrowed eyes and with a low snarl to his tone, “I’d never let that happen.”

“Then I suggest you friggin’ make a move then!”

“I… honestly don’t know how…  Okay?!  Can you just drop it?”

Miroku looks at his friend and laughs, “Girls like Kagome don’t want anything special, they don’t need any proclamations or declarations of love per se, they just want to know you’ll be there for them when they need you the most.  It could be as simple as holding her when she’s sad or coming to her rescue when she needs it.”

“I already do that.”

“Yes, she knows she can always count on you and that’s how her feelings for you developed in the first place.  So now, you need to show her that caring side I know is somewhere in you.”  Miroku pours the last of the sake into their cups.  “Look for little signs when you can comfort her.  Trust me, it’ll mean the world to her.”

“Maybe…” Inuyasha mumbles.

“At least think about it.” Miroku settles back into the warmth of the water around him.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha reflects on the monk’s words to him, allowing the sake to both warm him physically and mentally…  Maybe he was holding back out of fear.  Yes, that’s the word.  The women he cares about the most always leave him.  First his mother, and then Kikyo.  The Hanyo doesn’t know if his heart can take another loss like that.  But maybe Miroku was right about Kagome, this girl was not like the other two.  His mother was not a strong woman, just a normal human.  Kikyo had been formidable in some ways, tough enough to deal with demons, but spiritually was she really that strong?  If she had been, would she have been corrupted so easily?  No, Kagome, was more powerful than any of them really gave her credit for.  Sure, she was young and therefore acted her age many a time, but the way she was often fearless in the face of opponents, how she managed to weaken Kikyo even in her demon state, it was almost more divine… He sighs again, where Kikyo had grown weaker the closer she had become to Inuyasha, Kagome instead grew stronger each day that passed by.  So, the idea of a Miko losing her powers for falling in love with a demon were in one word, bullshit.  

“I’m going to bed.”  Miroku stands up and goes out to dry himself.

“Aye,” Inuyasha stands too.  “Before it gets any colder tonight.” 

 

The boys return to camp where Miroku wastes no time in joining Sango on her bedroll, he cuddling to her, and she cuddling to him.  He points in Kagome’s direction trying to convince his friend to do the same but Inuyasha just leans against a tree and turns his head pretending to fall asleep.  _‘That pervert, takes any opportunity to get close to women.  Though Sango did let him do it.’_   He had noticed the pair had grown closer over time, going out of their way to be near one another even if all they were doing was walking.  Come to think of it, his lecherous womanizing friend, didn’t chase other pretty girls anymore, looked but never acted further.  _‘Huh!’_ Inuyasha snickers in his head, _‘At least I don’t need to worry about him making moves on Kagome!’_

A sound, maybe too quiet for humans to hear reaches the Hanyo and he opens his eyes to look at her.  Shivering under the blanket that she has pulled up to her chin is his Kagome, and the sound he had heard was the light chattering of her teeth.  His heart sinks, if only he had just relented to Miroku’s unspoken advice she wouldn’t be in so much discomfort.  _‘Idiot!’_ he screams in his own head as he makes his way over to the lightly trembling girl.

Being part demon, his naturally warmer body and higher threshold to fend against the elements made his first decision an easy one.  Inuyasha takes off his red robe and lays it over her body to provide the additional warmth she needed.  Her immediate reaction makes him smile, a small sigh letting him know it was helping.  But he looks over at the other pair.  They looked so much more comfortable, peaceful as the combined heat of their bodies trapped under the covers pushed away the chillier air outside.  He looks back down and gulps so wanting to do the same for Kagome but the close contact was something he avoided with her because his heart was still surrounded by those walls... 

But I wanna make her happy…  _Sigh_ , a crack in the stone facade, _‘I give up fighting it…’_ and crawls in beside her.  As he wraps his arm around her body to pull her tightly against him, Kagome stirs.   

“Inuyasha?”  She groggily whispers and slightly lifts her head.

“It’s just me Kagome.” He whispers back and takes the opportunity to slide his arm under her neck.

Her wispy almost sensual voice pierces his brain arousing the very feelings he was trying to suppress, “Why…” but she gladly accepts his intimacy by leaning her head on his arm and sinks against his body.  It was just the voice of a sleepy girl but to him, the most alluring tone he had ever heard come out of her 

Doing his best to stay in control, he leans close to her ear speaking softly, “You were cold.” His warm breath travelling over her neck makes her shiver again.  “Is this okay?”  Slight concern that she may still say no…

He feels her nod, “This feels nice…”  Undoubtedly his cheeks are turning red but for once the Hanyou doesn’t shy away and instead buries his face in her hair taking in the very scent he craved more than he wanted to admit to.  “We should… do this every night…  Inuyasha…”

Did he just hear her correctly _?  ‘S-she wants me to sleep with her?’_   As the panic takes flight, his heart starts to beat faster, I mean doing this to make her feel better was already taking a huge leap and toll on his mind and body.  She had no idea how much he craved her and how the Youkai side of him wanted to stake its claim.  But the other half, the human half kept those urges at bay; as long as he didn’t have a lot of physical contact with her.  About to respond, she continues…  “…keep each other warm… during the winter.”

 _Gulp_ , “I-I guess…  I-If it’ll make you feel better.” He doesn’t need to see it to know she has a smile on her face.  When she places her own hand over the one around her waist and pushes the entire length of her body against his own, especially around the hip area, Inuyasha chokes back a groan.  Hanyou, Youkai, Human, it didn’t matter, the position she just created…  _‘Damn it Kagome!’_   But when she grips his hand he knows he’s stuck for the rest of the night. 

“So warm…” she murmurs in her sleep

 _‘Gah!  You have no idea just how hot!’_  he can’t help but laugh in his head.  _Sigh, ‘This girl will be the death of me!’_


End file.
